Ten man Barnsley conceded a 95th-minute winner as they lost 2-1 having led at high-flying Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday evening.

Jon Russell opened the scoring then the Reds survived a first half onslaught from the hosts.

Wycombe levelled with a penalty in the second half then Marc Roberts was sent off minutes later.

The Reds were the better side after the dismissal but conceded a heart-breaking winner.

It was a third straight loss, the longest such run in League One since 2015, and they fell down three places to ninth.

Donovan Pines replaced Conor McCarthy, Georgie Gent came in for the injured Neil Farrugia, Stephen Humphrys replaced Adam Phillips, who had been ill, and Jon Russell came in for Kelechi Nwakali. Pines played on the right of there back three while the Reds changed from 3-5-2 to 3-4-3 with Humphrys and Davis Keillor-Dunn either side of Max Watters.

Wycombe’s Daniel Udoh almost scored on two minutes for the hosts, after Pines struggled to deal with a long ball, but shot over off balance from close range.

But Russell opened the scoring in the tenth minute with a 20-yard shot which took a big deflection into the bottom left corner. It came from a decent passing move which ended with Gent’s cross being cleared to Russell.

Wycombe then dominated the rest of half with their tactic of playing high balls over the slow Barnsley back line, especially to the right where Pines was, creating many chances.

Ben Killip then made a fine one-on-one save with his legs to deny Cameron Humphreys after Richard Kone latched onto a long ball when two Barnsley defenders appeared to have been fouled.

Kone latched onto a ball over the top and, under close attention from Marc Roberts, his weak shot was easily saved.

Udoh then beat Killip to the ball in the box, possibly heading it out of goalkeeper’s hands, but his shot from the right was blocked by Roberts. Killip clawed a corner out from under his crossbar and sprang to his right to impressively save from a Luke Leahy header.

Roberts and Pines both missed another long ball and Kone’s shot from a tight angle on the left a few yards out was turned behind by Killip.

Russell almost scored a second totally against the run of play on 42 minutes when he brought down a long throw from Roberts and volleyed straight at the goalkeeper from close range.

Ex-Red Josh Scowen thought he should have had a penalty for a foul by Russell before Humphreys fired over just before half-time.

Barnsley began the second half well with Keillor-Dunn’s shot blocked then Roberts hooking a corner over. Earl then volleyed a big chance wide when he reached Corey O’Keeffe’s right-wing free-kick unmarked with the goal gaping.

Watters then limped off and was replaced by Phillips on 52 minutes, as Barnsley returned to 3-5-2.

Killip then superbly sprang to his right to keep out a powerful and high volley from Humphreys 15 yards out.

The equaliser eventually came from the penalty spot after Pines was judged to have fouled Fred Onyedinma in the six-yard six. Replays seemed to show he got the ball although Luca Connell had pulled him back. Kone beat Killip from the spot.

Minutes later, Roberts was sent off for a tackle on Kone on the left wing. He also appeared to get the ball but it was heavy tackle.

Substitute Bez Lubala saw a shot from a very tight angle on the right of the box pushed away by Killip on 82 minutes.

Phillips could have won it against the odds on 88 minutes but volleyed over a few yards out from an O’Keeffe cross amid calls for offside.

Connell then almost lobbed the goalkeeper from near halfway but it went just over.

The winner arrived for the hosts on 95 minutes when substitute Garath McCleary’s right-wing cross was headed in by the unmarked Kone from close range.

Barnsley (3-4-3): Killip; Roberts, Pines, Earl; O’Keeffe, Russell, Connell, Gent (McCarthy 68mins); Keillor-Dunn, Watters (Phillips 52), Humphrys ( Lofthouse 90+3).

Unused: Smith, Cosgrove, Yoganathan, Nwakali.

Yellow cards: O’Keeffe, Killip, Humphrys.

Red cards: Roberts.

Goals: Russell 10.

Wycombe (4-4-2): Ravizzoli; Grimmer (Kodua 81mins), Skura, Bradley, Leahy; Onyedinma (McCleary 74), Bakinson (Westergaard 74), Scowen, Humphreys; Udoh (Lubala 81), Kone.

Unused: Bishop, Hartridge, Butcher.

Yellow cards: Leahy, Bakinson.

Goals: Kone 63 (pen), 90+5.